Village looks to ban water-bottle sales

The village of Bundanoon in New South wales' Southern Highlands is trying to ban the sale of water in plastic bottles, and it seems their efforts are already a watershed.

Transcript

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: The village of Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales is trying to ban the sale of water in plastic bottles, and it already looks as though the action has prompted others to follow the move.

Shane McLeod reports.

SHANE MCLEOD, ENVIRONMENT REPORTER: This quiet Southern Highlands town is about to embark on the battle of the bottle.

HUW KINGSTON, BUSINESS OWNER: What comes off your tap, you know, we're not selling you that as a pre-packaged single use product.

SHANE MCLEOD: Local cafe owner Huw Kingston came up with the challenge: could Bundanoon wean itself off the plastic bottle? It's won overwhelming support, at least from the town's business owners.

PETE STEWART, BUSINESS OWNER: The logical next step is getting rid of bottled water. It's a fantastic idea.

SHANE MCLEOD: The enthusiasm owes no small part to controversial plans by a water-bottling company to tap the local ground water to supply the already crowded bottled market. Tonight, Bundanoon's residents will be asked to back the ban at a community meeting.

JOHN DEE, DO SOMETHING: We can go to the town now and go to the people who live here knowing that the businesses are already on side.

Instead of buying one-time bottles, people will be asked to use the old-fashioned refill and re-use system.

HUW KINGSTON: We all need to drink plenty of water. So with the idea particularly with the businesses of replacing the sale of bolted water, and we're only talking still bottled water, with the sale of refillable bottles.

SHANE MCLEOD: People here in Bundanoon know that a small town stand won't make a big dent in a half-billion-dollar-a-year industry. But they hope it might make some of us think next time before we drink.

So does New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees.

NATHAN REESE NSW PREMIER: We want it out unless there is no alternative. We want bottled water out of the NSW Government system.

SHANE MCLEOD: Bundanoon is not making threats.

HUW KINGSTON: No one will get lynched in Bundanoon for carrying a bottle of still water.

SHANE MCLEOD: But when it comes to choosing a bottle or a tap, the town hopes the choice is clear.

TONY JONES: It's a good thing there will be no lynching because a short time ago the village of Bundanoon voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ban on bottled water. Of the 356 people who attended the meeting only two opposed the motion.

The voluntary ban on all forms of bottled water is expected to be in full force by the end of this year.